Aa
I need someone with extensive knowlege about HIV. My friend is freaking out.
Can HIV live outside of a body for 20 minutes? My friend wants me to find all the info I can on the internet about HIV because he had sex with a girl (with a condom), but he fingered her before. They finished and he rubbed his eyes because he said he was tired. Once he touched his eyes though, he realized the fluid on his finger wasn't totally dry. I know wet fluid should be considered dangerous, but I also know that HIV can't survive well outside of the body. It was still a little wet but it had been 20 minutes. Is he ok? Does vaginal fluid getting in the eyes pose a serious risk?
First of all...for liability reasons...all hospitals/clinics have to have an "exposure" protocol....regardless if there is actually a "risk" or not. Just b/c a protocol is in place doesn't mean that it is automatically assumed that any sharps type injury will result in HIV transmission.
Secondly...the risk of infection by a "sharps" (needle, scalpel, etc) injury is actually VERY low, and in MOST cases non existent. A hollow bore needle would carry the most risk...and the larger the bore of the needle, the larger the risk. That is b/c if there was infectious blood IN the bore of the needle, it could survive MUCH longer. For this same reason...is why users of INJECTABLE drugs put themselves at risk when sharing needles.
Something like a knife, scissors, scalpel, etc...poses almost a zero risk...b/c of the fact that HIV is rendered inactive when it is exposed to the air, it is not ecapsulated INSIDE something. If a HCW was cut with a blood soaked scalpel/scissors, etc right during a procedure, then there is some risk. But, as far as a non-needle sharp object lying around sticking someone...it carries virtually ZERO risk.
In the situation of this OP...rubbing the eyes with possible vaginal secretions present, there is no risk. A small risk exists if someone got splashed with a very large amount of infected blood...but again....even the risk in THAT situation would be MUCH lower than most people would think.
VERY VERY VERY few (minute actually) actual "needle stick" type injuries in the health care settings actually result in infection with HIV.
Just thought maybe I could shed some light on this for you.....
Secondly...the risk of infection by a "sharps" (needle, scalpel, etc) injury is actually VERY low, and in MOST cases non existent. A hollow bore needle would carry the most risk...and the larger the bore of the needle, the larger the risk. That is b/c if there was infectious blood IN the bore of the needle, it could survive MUCH longer. For this same reason...is why users of INJECTABLE drugs put themselves at risk when sharing needles.
Something like a knife, scissors, scalpel, etc...poses almost a zero risk...b/c of the fact that HIV is rendered inactive when it is exposed to the air, it is not ecapsulated INSIDE something. If a HCW was cut with a blood soaked scalpel/scissors, etc right during a procedure, then there is some risk. But, as far as a non-needle sharp object lying around sticking someone...it carries virtually ZERO risk.
In the situation of this OP...rubbing the eyes with possible vaginal secretions present, there is no risk. A small risk exists if someone got splashed with a very large amount of infected blood...but again....even the risk in THAT situation would be MUCH lower than most people would think.
VERY VERY VERY few (minute actually) actual "needle stick" type injuries in the health care settings actually result in infection with HIV.
Just thought maybe I could shed some light on this for you.....
You had a zero, zip nada, risk, let me tell you why.
First of all scissors are not like seringes that have a hollow point needle that can carry boold, or other body fluids so there is no way you can have transmited infectious fluid into your body,
Second, the scissors where in water ans desinfectant for 8 hours, so if the scissors had blood or anything else infectious over them it wouldnt be infectious by the time you stuck with them, since hiv becomes uninfectious outside the body inmidiatly,
Finally you didnt had a risk, and no test is needed.
Good luck,
First of all scissors are not like seringes that have a hollow point needle that can carry boold, or other body fluids so there is no way you can have transmited infectious fluid into your body,
Second, the scissors where in water ans desinfectant for 8 hours, so if the scissors had blood or anything else infectious over them it wouldnt be infectious by the time you stuck with them, since hiv becomes uninfectious outside the body inmidiatly,
Finally you didnt had a risk, and no test is needed.
Good luck,
I was recently stuck by a pair of scissors that came from a suture kit. I am an er tech and part of my "responsibity" is to put the non disposable instruments in water and disinfectant and scrub them and prepare them for sterilization. Well the scissors that I was poked with (in the thumb) had been in the solution well over 8 hours probably more like 12 to 24 hours but I was scrubbing the scissors with a little scrub brush and my hand slipped causing me to poke myself in the thumb! As I was cleaning the darn things I noticed there was no blood or anything on the scissors that I could see but i was thinking to myself how bad it would suck to stick myself and them BAM out of nowhere my hand slipped and I poked myself. I had to do all the testing that is required , but the thing that ***** is that it was an unknown source so Im freaking out not knowing what to do! I just wanna cry. How long can viruses, bacteria live in water/disinfectant? I am so scared i wanna cry. Can anyone give me any advice?
Yes and your question had already been answered at the top of the thread. You did not have a risk.
This situation was zero risk...umm...pal... laughing. If it's in a needle it hasn't been exposted to air...has it? medical literature. gtfoah
Allow me to have a question about your reply,pal. I may just premise my argument on the exposal of the health worker.Most of them were stabbed on their fingers or hand by needles or cut by knives tainted by hiv positive liquid,which was exposed in the air already,however,maybe for seconds,but it still brings risk.
If it is what you just replyed,the exposed health workers may had not recvived treaments like taking PEP nor accpet follow-up antibody tests,but they did.
Welcome to have discussion with me,and i think it is better you base your argument upon some medical literature.Thank you.
If it is what you just replyed,the exposed health workers may had not recvived treaments like taking PEP nor accpet follow-up antibody tests,but they did.
Welcome to have discussion with me,and i think it is better you base your argument upon some medical literature.Thank you.
HIV becomes unable to infect once it hits air. Some mucous glands are a theoretical risk, like there's theoretically a chance you could get hit by lightning twice today. From the situation you describe there was ZERO risk here. ZEROOOO
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